G.I. Joe: Resolute (2009) Movie Review

In case you missed it when it was being aired on the internet, and again when Cartoon Network aired it at a midnight showing, “G.I. Joe: Resolute” was an 11 episode animated series based on the cartoons and comics of the 1980’s. It was written by Warren Ellis, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, and produced by Sam Register. And it was absolutely amazing and it’s the superior of the G.I.Joe releases that hit DVD on November 3. I’ve seen them both and well you’ll just have to keep reading to find out more.

Well I’ll start off saying I enjoyed Stephen Sommers’ “G.I.Joe: Rise of Cobra.” I also enjoyed Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen.” Both could’ve have been much better, and “G.I.Joe” definitely had more potential and more done right than “Transformers 2,” but something felt a little off in the film. I think it was Snake Eyes’ lips. They were SO damn distracting. I mean seriously he was the “Pouting Ninja.” Angelina Jolie is jealous of his rubber lips. But I digress…this isn’t about “G.I.Joe: Lips of the Ninja,” this is about the greatness that is “Resolute.”

I first caught this when they aired it as a complete movie on Cartoon Network in April. I was blown away by the art, which is definitely anime influenced and better than any iteration of the Joes to hit the small screen since the 80’s. Everyone looks pretty much as you remember. Hell Snake Eyes is in his ORIGINAL gear with the goggles, not the visor we’ve become accustomed to. Duke looks like Duke, Destro like Destro, and Cobra Commander like…well Cobra Commander. Everyone has been updated a little is all, making them look just a little more military. Cobra’s higher echelon all look regal in their almost British/Euro military looks (I loved what they did with Destro and Baroness). But what really makes this show shine is that it was targeted for people like me, who grew up watching the show and imagining epic battles in our rooms and backyars as we played with the toys.

The characters are handled amazingly well, and have depth even for the little time they’re on the screen. There’s a group shot early on that will have fanboys pausing to test their “Joe” knowledge and name all the “Joes” in the scene. Not everyone gets a chance to shine unfortunately (would’ve loved to see Flint, Lady J, and Spirit gets some time), and some character traits that can be seen as cheesy now (but beloved to us) have been changed (Roadblock doesn’t rhyme), but for al intents and purposes this is the G.I.Joe we grew up with and it looks like they grew up with us. But the best change I would have to say was by far Cobra Commander. He’s gone from whiny incompetent to ruthless leader, and the change is overdue. The man is just plain fed-up and to say anymore would give a certain scene away. Trust me it’s worth it. The DVD is a rocking good time, it’s action packed, and it’s not for kids.

What the writer (Thank you Warren Ellis) has done in an hour long space is to take everything we loved about “Joe” and turned the intensity up to 15, throw out the cheesiness and make it real. There’s a body count, beloved characters die, there are no lasers, and pilots don’t parachute to safety every time. In short this is war, this is terrorism, this is G.I.JOE the way we always wanted it. I can only hope that we get some more like this because not since the 2002 “Masters of The Universe” cartoon, have I been so ecstatic over the return of something from my childhood. It was done right and with love. So if you’re a fan GET THIS MOVIE! The tag line was “No Lasers. No Parachutes.” and they were right. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.